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Activist explains the 'Value of Nothing'
Marlena Chertock
Design Editor
With a sense of humor, seemingly
flawless memorization skills and no
concern for offense, activist and writer
Raj Patel spoke at Elon Sept. 28 about
the fundamental flaw in America’s free
market economy.
That fundamental flaw is actually
in the free market itself, said Patel.
“What we have now in America is
consumer choice, not democracy,”
Patel said.
He said our current market system
would work better if there were many
buyers and sellers, but when there is
less of each, the market collapses.
“We need a level playing field for the
little guy,” Patel said.
Patel offered an example of the
ineffectiveness of the free market
economy system in other countries.
Prior to the 1990s, Haiti grew its
own rice, according to Patel. After that,
U.S. presidents and the World Bank
imposed policies on the country that
would allow the free market to control
the food market. But the market could
not take care of itself. It wasn’t a good
system for Haiti.
Today, Patel said, Haiti grows none
of its own rice.
To show that this doesn’t always
happen in countries where the
government tries to control the land,
Patel pointed to another agrarian
country: India. He said one in six world
farmers are Indian. In India, farmers
own their land.
But many farmers are extremely
poor Patel said. He told a story of
one farmer
who had
to borrow
money from
a local lender
to build
wells on his
property,
five separate
times
because the
wells kept
coming up
dry.
“So he mixed a pesticide (that is)
banned in the U.S. with water,” Patel
said. “His nerves asphyxiated. And all
for a debt of $325.”
Patel said this story has been passed
around India to raise awareness of
the flawed system and sometimes
desperate conditions of people.
He also said that Indian farmers have
been requesting their government to
help them. To combat the failing nature
of a fully government-owned property
or a fully people-owned property, Patel
proposed the idea of the commons, a
balancing act between no ownership of
the land, people owning the land and
the government owning land.
This idea comes from a theory, the
tragedy of the commons, that explains
if people are
“The main thought going into
(the Oakland Food Policy
Council) was, ‘We need to
make sure that everyone in
our community eats.’”
- RAJ PATEL
WRITER AND ACTIVIST
PHOTO COURTHSY OF WIKI
MEDIA COMMONS
given a public
space, they
will destroy it,
trying to own
and control it.
Patel said this
doesn’t have
to be accepted
as fact,
adding that
people have
negotiated
public spaces
in the past.
“We can manage a commons in a way
that discriminates against a group,”
Patel said. “With hatred, exclusion,
xenophobia. But we’re all built to have
to work together.”
While Patel admitted that he didn’t
know exactly how this would look,
he said he was excited for the next
generation to keep these ideas and
dialogues going.
Patel said some communities
have been better at managing their
resources than the government has
been. He gave an example of a sort
of commons in effect now in the San
Francisco Bay Area. The Oakland Food
Policy Council involves the government,
nongovernmental organizations,
teachers, unions, activists, farmers,
workers and prisoners. The council
tries to create an equitable and
sustainable food system in the area,
according to the council’s website.
“The main thought going into (the
council) was, ‘We need to make sure
that everyone in our community eats,’”
Patel said.
Patel said he believes a food
movement in the U.S. is possible. He
listed several organizations working
toward similar goals: Slow Food, the
Oakland Food Policy Council and local
food co-ops.
“I love the idea of free, uncoerced
exchange between people," he said.
Patel said that people need to
communicate ideas on how to promote
social change.
“If we’re going to have social change
we have to make it enjoyable," Patel
said. “Otherwise, no one’s going to do
it.”
John Lennon's 70th birthday marked by world-wide celebrations
Libby Dean
Reporter
Songwriter. Founder of the most successful musical
group of all time. Peace activist. Artist. Writer. Icon.
Many words can be used to describe John Lennon, but
one fact is certain: he was and remains to be one of the
most influential figures in popular culture.
John Lennon would have turned 70 on Oct. 9.
Celebrations and tributes will take place all around the
world to celebrate the music icon’s birthday and honor
his memory.
“John Lennon was the voice of a generation," said
Michael Frontani, Elon professor and author of the
book “The Beatles: Image and the Media.” “He matured
with his audience and his accomplishments expanded
the palette for rock and roll and celebrities in general.”
Michael Frontani is an Elon communications professor
who teaches a Beatles class. He will be teaching one in
the spring.
On Oct. 5, in honor of the musician’s birthday, John
Lennon’s solo albums will be re-issued and re-mastered
in solo and boxed sets. In addition, the John Lennon
biographical film “Nowhere Boy” opens in limited U.S.
release Oct. 8.
In New York City, a John Lennon tribute concert
will be held at the Beacon Theater on Nov. 12, where
performers such as Aimee Mann, Cyndi Lauper, Patti
Smith and Jackson Brown, among others, will pay
tribute to Lennon. Tickets are currently on sale and
proceeds go to the Playing for Change Foundation, an
organization that promotes peace with music.
The concert is just one of the events across the
world planned in memory of the former Beatle. In Los
Angeles, a two-day concert will be held. In Iceland,
Lennon’s widow Yoko Ono is planning a series of
peace-promoting events. On Oct. 9., Ono will continue
the annual tradition of lighting the Imagine Peace
Tower, a column of light to symbolize hope for peace
in the world. The light will stay lit from Oct. 9 to Dec.
8, the 30th anniversary of Lennon’s death. After the
lighting of the tower, Ono will hold a special concert
of the Yoko Ono Plastic Ono Band. The Peace Tower
lighting can be viewed around the world via live feed
at imaginepeace.com.
Lennon’s hometown of Liverpool, England is holding
a series of events to honor him. Jackie Spencer, Beatles
tour guide, has been giving Beatles tours throughout
Liverpool for fifteen years and will hold a special “All
About John” tour Oct. 9. Places in the tour include
Lennon’s childhood home, the schools he attended.
Strawberry Fields and Penny Lane.
“John is still such an icon all of these years later
because he was so outspoken and was never afraid
to speak his mind and he fought for peace,” Spencer
said.
Also Oct. 9, a peace monument dedicated to
Lennon’s memory will be unveiled in Liverpool.
Lennon’s first wife Cynthia and eldest son Julian will
attend the unveiling of the monument called “Peace &
Harmony," which is commissioned by the Global Peace
Initiative, an American arts organization whose goal is
to promote global peace.
Frontani said one of the reasons why he admires
John Lennon is because of the musician’s intensely
personal music. Lennon had the quintessential
rock’n’roll voice that directly reflected his emotions,
he said.
“Lennon made some of the most personal albums
ever,” Frontani said. “He had such pathos in his voice
and he just poured his heart out in a way that was and
is still unusual for a musician.”
Though John Lennon’s life was cut short, recent
efforts to honor his memory show he is still revered
and loved as an icon.
“John Lennon’s music was so personal to him but
he made his music universal to everyone,” Elon junior
Sarah Small said. “Even thirty years later, everyone
can relate to his music. His music is timeless and his
legacy will live on forever.”
PHOTO FROM IMDB COM
On Oct. 3 the movie ‘Nowhere Boy’ was shown in the Music
Box Theatre in Chicago and several other theaters to mark
the celebration of John Lennon's 70th birthday. The movie,
directed by Sam Taylor-Wood, tells the story of Lennon’s
childhood. There are several birthday celebrations for Lennon
occurring worldwide. Examiner.com listed and described the
events.
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